Life Time Fitness back in the picture for Vestavia Hills club

VESTAVIA HILLS, Alabama -- After four years of on-again off-again negotiations, the city of Vestavia Hills is ready to sell property to a Minnesota-based fitness chain for a health club.

The City Council last week authorized the mayor to sell 16 acres of Patchwork Farms property to Life Time Fitness so it can build a 110,000-plus square-foot center, which could include a cafe, retail area and 600 parking spaces.

The property would cost Life Time about $2.5 million.

"This is a project we've been working on since 2007," said Mayor Alberto "Butch" Zaragoza. "It's been an uphill battle."

City officials hope the company's proposed fitness center would be the economic catalyst to spark development at Patchwork Farms.

Patchworks Farms consists of about 85 acres between U.S. 280 and Interstate 459 and was originally planned for businesses, homes and sports fields but now mainly for commercial and retail use.

The recession of recent years caused Life Time to downsize its original proposal from a 110,000 square-foot facility to a 90,000 square-foot center. The company then nixed plans to build a facility in Vestavia Hills.

In February, the council authorized the mayor to restart talks with Life Time Fitness. He did, but two months later Life Time Fitness said it would not build in Vestavia Hills.

Even then, Life Time Fitness left open the possibility of restarting talks with Vestavia Hills if economic conditions changed.

Round two

The company returned in July with a proposal to buy 16 acres and provide its own storm water detention system, contingent on the city building a road into Patchwork Farms, said Steve Monk, an attorney representing the city.

The City Council, after authorizing the mayor to sell the land last week, also approved a proposal from Goodwyn Mills and Cawood to design an entrance road at Cahaba River Road into Patchwork Farms.

The design firm would receive about $172,850 for its work.

The proposed 400-foot road would include a bridge that would cost the city about $1.2 million to construct, Zaragoza said.

The city also would have to make traffic improvements to Cahaba River Road by installing traffic signals and turn lanes, the mayor said.

Jefferson County would need to approve road improvements and construction, said the mayor, who added he foresees no hindrance from the county.

Council President Mary Lee Rice said the proposed road would provide access to future businesses as well.

"It's being built for access into Patchwork Farms property, specifically at this time for Life Time," she said. "But it will be used by anyone else who purchases property and develops in that area."

Monk said he expects the purchase to close by the first of the new year. Life Time Fitness has said it wants to be open by March 2013.